By: Kaitlin O'Neil - Director of Policy
July is the month where many legislators across the country are back in their districts for the BBQs, parades, and handshaking in peak summertime campaign season, and few Legislatures continue to meet, most planning to resume their duties after Labor Day.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts is the exception to this rule of thumb, as the Legislature furiously attempts to complete two years of work in a six week session leading up to July 31. The Massachusetts Legislature has a two year session, and this past year, the session ended with a failure to come to agreement and pass major pieces of legislation, including a clean energy package.
Unfortunately, we have all seen this play before, as the Massachusetts Legislature frequently leaves major lawmaking and negotiations until the last few weeks of the two year session. In this case, despite passing versions of a major clean energy bill and an economic development bill in each chamber, lawmakers were unable to agree to the final versions of each bill, meaning nothing was passed. Unless the Legislature comes back for a special session, and passes a number of these stalled bills, then energy siting reform could be set back another two years.
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources issued its straw proposal for the revamped SMART program. While the DOER propose to increase incentive levels, significant changes to the greenfield subtractor means projects are unlikely to be financeable. DOER collected initial feedback at a series of stakeholder meetings, and will file the proposed regulations sometime this fall.
Maryland
Further down the Eastern shore, Maryland Public Service Commission staff filed the program regulations to implement the permanent community solar program, which must be finalized by January 1, 2025. The Commission will be holding a rule-making hearing on August 27, 2024, and will accept comments through August 21, 2024.
Commission staff continue to work with stakeholders on further modifying the regulations to implement net crediting, which still streamline the billing process for community solar customers, improving the customer experience.
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